‘There is a “right-now” problem in the media that impedes a more thoughtful reflection on architecture or that sidesteps occasional controversies’

We speak to David García-Asenjo, an architect specialising in construction and a Doctor of Advanced Architectural Projects with a thesis on ‘Project Strategies in Contemporary Spanish Sacred Architecture’.

Tell us when you first got interested in architecture. Were you always interested in buildings?

I never thought I would be skilled enough for architecture, although I always liked it. However, an architect gave a talk at my school and showed me how interesting the degree was and I was sold.

What inspires you the
most about your profession?

That there are lots of
fields of work: from designing spaces where people will live to solving
problems that may be linked to those spaces. And research into its history too.

How important is it to study the most representative architecture and its famous architects?

They help understand
how the best architecture functions, how cities grow and evolve, including
mistakes that may have been made.

What conclusions did you draw about contemporary Spanish religious architecture through your PhD research?

The main conclusion
was that the principal reason behind good architecture is a client who is
committed to it, even though there may not be many resources to make it happen.
In addition, collaboration between architects and artists helps create more rounded
spaces.

Which materials do you
like to work with the most when it comes to finishes? And why?

It depends on the
project. Usually I try to match a client’s possibilities as much as I can. I
try to avoid imitations of other materials and to make them as simple as
possible. I would love to work with quality materials such as wood or stone.

You are an architecture critic in the Spanish newspaper El Español. Do you think readers of mass media have a lot of interest in architecture? What are the most recent approaches you’d like to highlight?

I have received a good
response from non-specialised readers of articles I have written. Architecture
is everywhere. But there is a “right-now” problem in the media that impedes a
more thoughtful reflection on architecture or that sidesteps occasional
controversies. The main reflection is
how we come to value contemporary architecture as something worthy of cultural
heritage protection. Progress has been made with historical architecture, but
people do not seem to appreciate how contemporary architecture is a reflection
of the values of a certain period. Contemporary culture is highly valued but
architecture seems to have been left behind; or that is how many media outlets
see it. There is interest in finding out about it but no space is made
available for people to discover it.